Centrifugal switch



Jan. 10, 1950 c. c. WlLSON ET AL CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1 946 Snnentor C/Za/Lie 5mm HQ, i gfl Q \NKLSQN T AL 2 49 21 422 CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH Filed June 7, 3.946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 10, 1950 CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH Charles C. Wilson and High R. Parton, Kings Mountain, N. 0.

Application June 7, 194.6, Serial No. 675,114

1 Claim.

The invention relates to centrifugal switches, particularly adapted for use in connection with speed control devices for motor driven vehicles.

A further object is to provide a centrifugal switch wherein the centrifugal governor is located within a casing, and cooperates with arms of pivoted contact arms located outside the casing and cooperating with contacts for making or breaking circuits at various speeds of operation of the centrifugal governor.

With the above and other objects in View the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, showing the circuits in connection therewith.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the governor controlled circuit maker and breaker.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through the governor and circuit maker and breaker.

Figure 4 is a side elevation break joint.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the relay supported by the other part of the push rod.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates the speedometer driven by a flexible shaft 2 of the usual type, which shaft 2 is connected at 3 to the rotatable shaft 4 within the governor casing 5. Connected at 6 to the other end of the shaft 4 is a conventional flexible shaft 1, which leads to the speedometer drive from the wheels in any suitable manner.

Under normal conditions the speedometer operates in the usual manner. Slidably mounted on the shaft 4 against the expansive spring action of the spring 8 is a control disc 9, which control disc is longitudinally moved towards the circuit maker and breaker arm I!) by a centrifugal governor H, pinned at l2 to the shaft 4.

It will be seen, referring to Figure 3, that when excessive speeds are obtained, the governor weights l3 will be moved outwardly and the disc 9 will be moved to the right as shown in Figure 3 until it engages the contact arm l0, pivoted at 14 on the circuit maker base I5, which base is formed of insulating material and supports the bracket I6. Also supported on the circuit maker base I 5 is a bracket ll, having pivotally of a relay controlled connected thereto, at it, a second contact arm 19, the free end of which is in the path of the pivoted contact arm 10, which extends downwardly through the slot 20 into the chamber of the governor casing 5. Arms 19 and It may be adjusted in relation to each other by the adjusting screws 2!, rotatably mounted in the cross member 22, and threaded into the upstanding arms 23 of the brackets 16 and I1. By adjusting screws 2! against the expansive action of the springs 24 interposed between the member 22 and the arms 23, contact arms I!) and I9 may be adjusted in relation to each other for cutting off the flow of gasoline to the engine at any predetermined speed. Arms ill and 19 are normally forced towards the member 22 by the springs 25, and the screws 2! engage the contact arms l0 and !9, hence it will be seen that a fine adjustment can be obtained.

The governor casing 5 comprises a cylindrical body '26 having heads '21 in the ends thereof, and these heads are connected together by U- shaped bolts 28, the arms of which extend longitudinally through both heads 21, and have threaded thereon nuts 29. Also threaded through apertures in the ends of the arms is a sealing wire 30 provided with a seal 3| for preventing tampering with the mechanism. The governor and circuit maker are housed within a housing 32 having a cup shaped portion 33 for engaging over the boss 34 and held in position by a screw 35, which screw extends through the extension 38 of the housing and into one of the heads 21. It will be noted that the sealing wire 38 also threads through an aperture in the screw 35, hence the seal 3| serves for sealing not only the bolts 28, but the housing, against tampering.

The butterfly valve or choke valve 3'! is controlled by a push and pull rod 38. This rod comprises a tubular section 39, and a section 40 slidably mounted in the tubular section. Section 40 is pivotally connected at 4| to a lever 42 carried by the valve 31, and the valve 37 is normally forced towards closed position by the spring 43, anchored at 44 in any suitable place.

Control rod 38 has its rear end connected at 45 to a lever 46 carried by the rock shaft 41, and the rock shaft 41 is rocked by a push and pull rod 48, connected to the upstanding lever 49.

Assuming that the contacts l0 and I9 have been set for a predetermined speed, and that said speed is exceeded, contacts In and I9 engage. and. in so doing the circuit from the battery 50 is closed through conductor wires 52 and 5|, leading to the relay 53, and through conductor wires 5 and 55 to the signal 56, which signal may be a visual or sounding signal for warning the operator. As the relay 53 is energized, its armature 51 pulls downwardly on the metallic latch 58 against the action of the leaf spring 59, and the latch is out of the path of the stop 60 on the rod section 49, and as the relay is carried by the depending bracket El on the sleeve portion 39 of the control rod, the parts 39 and 40 will telescopically move in unlatched condition, and the spring 43 will cut oil? the fiow of gasoline to the manifold, as the valve 3'! will be closed. Latch 58 is hingedly mounted at 58a on bracket Bl. One side of the battery 56 is grounded to a ground wire 61a, leading to the governor casing 5. Ground wire 61a leading from battery 50 is grounded to the casing 5, hence it will be seen that when contact arm 10 engages contact arm [9 the circuit is completed through the arms H3 and 19, wire 5%, relay 53 and wire 52. At the same time the signal 56 is operated through the grounded casing 5, swinging contact arm l0, bracket l8 and wire 54, leading to the signal 15, and through wire 55 leading to battery 59.

Referring to Figure 5, it will be seen that the relay is supported on the rod section 40 instead of the section 39, however the operation and results are substantially the same.

From the above it will be seen that a governor controlled circuit maker and breaker is provided for controlling a latching connection between sections of a control rod, which is simple in construction, may be easily adjusted for limiting to a predetermined speed, and one wherein the 1 parts have been reduced to a minimum.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

A governor controlled circuit maker and breaker, said circuit maker and breaker comprising a casing, a rotatable shaft within the casing, a centrifugal governor carried by the shaft, a yieldably mounted disc slidably mounted on the shaft and adapted to be longitudinally moved by the governor, a contact arm pivotally mounted on the casing to the outside thereof, and to one side of the casing, said contact arm having a downwardly extending arm extending through an opening in the casing and into the path of the disc, a second contact arm pivoted to the casing at a point opposite the first mentioned arm, said second contact arm extending into the path of the first mentioned contact arm brackets adjacent the contact arms, adjusting screws extending through said brackets in the path of the contact arms, a connecting member connecting the adjusting screws, springs surrounding the adjusting screws and engaging the connecting member and springs connecting the connecting member and the contact arms and forming means for urging said arms towards the connecting member and contact screws.

CHARLES C. WILSON. HIGH R. PARTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 981,080 Griep Jan. 10, 1911 1,338,191 Pequegnat et al. Apr. 27, 1920 1,384,730 Crawford July 12, 1921 1,453,368 Teves May 1, 1923 1,824,292 Murrow Sept. 22, 1931 2,214,567 Rosenthal Sept. 10, 1940 2,226,425 Epperson Dec. 24, 1940 2,374,985 Faver May 1, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 485,574 Great Britain May 18, 1938 

